The Rivers State Interprofessional Anti-Quackery Committee has sealed six substandard health facilities across the state and arrested two suspects for alleged quackery and related offences. Several others have also been summoned for disciplinary action.
In a statement signed by Hope Avundaa, the committee said the operation, carried out on Friday, August 22, 2025, targeted illegal clinics, pharmacies, and makeshift hospitals.
One of the facilities, a three-bedroom apartment converted into a hospital, was allegedly run by a fake doctor who conducted maternity and surgical services without a licence. The facility’s registration had reportedly been revoked over a decade ago, with no qualified medical personnel on site. The suspect now faces prosecution for quackery and impersonation.
Similarly, another illegal hospital—also a residential building—was sealed for conducting surgeries and training auxiliary nurses under the supervision of a doctor barely one month post-internship. Both the proprietor and the young doctor were referred to the Rivers State Ministry of Health and the Nigerian Medical Association’s (NMA) disciplinary panel.
In Omagwa, a pharmacy operated by an auxiliary nurse who reportedly conducted consultations and administered intravenous drugs was shut, with the case handed over to the Director of Pharmaceutical Services.
The committee also sealed a medical centre in Okporo that doubled as an NGO and housed an unregistered nursing school, while its proprietor was summoned for investigation.
In Aluu, a patent medicine dealer, Rejoice Ogubie, was investigated over allegations of administering IV drugs and offering traditional birth services. Though she denied the charges, she was issued a stern warning and directed to restrict her services to over-the-counter drugs.
Commenting on the exercise, Rivers NMA Chairman, Diamond Tamunokuro, stressed the need to properly guide young doctors to uphold ethical standards and avoid quack facilities.